


Secret Recipe

by newbatgirl



Series: Repulsor Red (Handed) [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-18 08:28:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19330849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/newbatgirl/pseuds/newbatgirl
Summary: Part two of a secret relationship 5 +1 fic in which Steve and Darcy hide their romance when living with "Earth's Nosiest Heroes"This is set (loosely) after CA:TWS and Thor: TDW but before A:AOU.





	Secret Recipe

**Secret Recipe**

_Stark Tower...Residential Area Common Kitchen..._  

"You know, if you just showed me the recipe, we could probably work faster," Darcy told Clint as he browned an undisclosed variety of meats in a large pot. 

 "I told you, the recipe isn't written down," Clint tapped his forehead, "It's all in here.  Signora Greco forbid us from writing it down. We had to memorize it. She said her grandmother would haunt us all from the grave. This has got to be done the right way. There's a system. Follow the system, Lewis."  

Darcy shook her head. "You know, if I hadn't eaten this gravy before, I'd think you were even more batshit crazy than usual in convincing us to spend all afternoon cooking some secret unwritten recipe that you got from a Sicilian contortionist in a traveling circus." 

"But since you have eaten it and plenty of it, I should add... Just keep your chaotic hands on that side of the kitchen and the system's good." 

Darcy stuck her tongue at him. "OK, a) you know I run a lab, right? And b) you are batshit, but not because of the gravy." 

"Quiet, Lewis. Or I'll make you chop the onions again." 

"Not fair, you made me chop them last time!" 

"Hey!" Steve stopped in the doorway and breathed deeply. "Please tell me that you're making what I think you're making."  

Darcy had to school her features so she didn’t look too happy to see Steve. He had been off training with Sam and a few other trustworthy agents salvaged from the ruins of SHIELD for three weeks. He had not had a lot of privacy where he'd been so that hadn't done exchanged more than a few quick texts in the last week. Her heart felt like it had leapt into her throat at the sight of him and she had to literally grip the edge of the counter to stop from launching herself at him. 

"Hey!" she said, fighting to keep her voice normal.  "When did you get back?" 

Steve started towards her, then seemed to remember that Clint was in the room. That slip made Darcy feel a little better. At least she wasn't the only one feeling this way.  

Steve stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Little while ago, just long enough to take a shower. Then I followed my nose down here." 

"Yup," Clint nodded. "Nonna Greco's Sunday Gravy. And you're back in time to help and not just decimate." 

"I don't mind helping," Steve said as Darcy resumed her chopping. "What can I do?" 

"Well," Darcy said to Clint thoughtfully, "If Steve's here, won't we need more...of everything?" 

Clint nodded in agreement and Darcy noted that Steve did not argue the point. Clint turned off the burner under his pot.  

"Help Lewis chop up the rest of the herbs in the fridge. I'll get more onions and tomatoes from the pantry." 

"Probably some more garlic too," Darcy said, tossing a dish towel onto the counter.  

As soon as Clint disappeared down the hall towards the pantry, Steve rounded the counter to get to her. She dropped the knife and her hands landed at his waist while he took her face in his own hands and kissed her almost frantically.  

"God, I missed you," he said against her lips.    
   
Darcy broke the kiss long enough to nod and whisper "Ditto" before pressing her lips to his again. 

When they came up for air moments later, Steve looked anxious. "I'm sorry, the training...it took longer..." 

"Explain that later.  You're OK, right?" She asked, ghosting her palm over his chest, not pressing in just in case there were cracked ribs or other wounds.  

Him attempting to hide his injuries from her had led to their first real fight, some weeks ago. One with quite a bit of shouting and cursing on her part over his not-quite healed bullet wounds.  

It wasn't all bad, though. After their apologies, he'd agreed to a full-body inspection that had ended well for both of them.  

He covered her hand with his larger one and pressed it to his chest. "I'm fine. Promise. Wouldn't be opposed to an inspection later, though." 

Her eyebrows quirked up. "Just to be sure?" 

Steve darted a look over his shoulder towards the pantry. "Yeah...later. We probably don't have a ton of time now." 

Darcy raised her finger to his lips to silence him. Then she whisked a dishtowel off of the pile of garlic bulbs it had been hiding. "Don't forget more garlic, Clint!" She called out to the pantry. 

"Alright!" The archer shouted back. 

"There you go, that'll buy us a few more minutes" Darcy whispered to Steve. 

"Hmmmm, garlic. Good for vampires and spies," Steve quipped before he kissed her again. 

While they kissed, he pulled her tightly against him, his hands on her lower back, holding her firmly in place. When they broke for air he leaned his forehead against hers with a sigh. “You’ve already got me feeling better than I have in weeks.” 

“All part of my evil and selfish plan to keep you around,” she murmured in reply. It was as far as she would go in saying how much his long absences hurt. He felt guilty enough and she didn’t want him to feel like he couldn’t do his job. 

“It’s a very good plan. And I know a thing or two about plans,” Steve replied as he ghosted light kisses over her closed eyelids. The move made her shiver since it was something he usually did... _after_ , when they were lying in bed together enjoying their little private world.  

When Clint came out of the pantry a several minutes later – sans garlic – Darcy and Steve were again on opposite sides of the counter, chopping dutifully. 

Clint dumped cans of tomatoes on the counter and frowned when he found the small pile of garlic near the pot where he'd been working. 

He cursed under his breath and scooped the offending bulbs onto a clean cutting board.  "The garlic's right here!" 

"Dude, you said I shouldn’t mess with your work area. How were we supposed to know?" 

"Never mind, just keep chopping if you want to eat." 

"You're one cranky Sicilian grandma," Darcy quipped, earning a snicker from Steve. 

In the end, Steve must have felt guilty about messing with Clint because he ended up chopping all of the onions.  

That night the extended Avengers family was so thrilled with the meal they’d prepared that Darcy felt confident that none of the others really noticed when she and Steve slipped away (separately) very shortly after eating. 

End.  


End file.
